Festive Chinese Tree

Of the books I've illustrated, my second, Roseanne Thong's The Wishing Tree probably is the sweetest manuscript. Ironically, it has sold the least well. In spite of the fact that I knew basically nothing about the business of children's books (had never even heard of SCBWI), had only eight weeks from start to finish, and am not overly thrilled with the illustrations, they actually were reviewed well. Still, I wish I could have a do-over and that the book could be better promoted.

Here are photos of the real Wishing Tree outside a temple in Hong Kong. At Chinese New Year, people write wishes on papers made for the occasion, tie them to oranges, and throw them into the banyon's branches. If they catch and stay, the wish may come true.